The environment secretary has said laws barring chlorinated chicken and hormone-fed beef “won’t change” to secure a trade deal with the US – despite a previous pledge to maintain the ban being dropped by No 10.
George Eustice said the UK was not “under any obligation” to change its approach amid concerns from farmers and campaigners that the government could lower standards on imported produce as part of trade with the US.
Donald Trump’s administration has made it clear that it will not allow American farmers to be disadvantaged in a US-UK trade deal, with US trade representative Robert Lighthizer describing concerns about farming practices as “thinly veiled protectionism”.
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Ministers are said to have put forward a “dual tariff” plan to Washington, that would allow US food producers to sell products that does not comply with British standards if they paid higher levies.
The move would mark a significant loosening of the current rules, where the UK complies with strict European welfare and sanitary standards.
Asked to guarantee that UK law would not change, Mr Eustice told the Today programme: “I can’t bind the hands of any future government, as you will know.
“This government is clear, we were the ones that brought across the prohibition on the use of washes such as chlorine and hormones in beef and we won’t change that.”
Mr Eustice said the UK had to be “open to considering approaches that other countries might bring to us” under trading rules but “we’re not under any obligation to change it”.
He said the Conservatives had made a manifesto commit to protect food standards and animal welfare, which would be central to the ongoing trade talks.
However his comments come after Liz Truss, the international trade secretary, refused to tell MPs about the proposed deal in case the US trade negotiators were listening.
“I’m not going to go into detail in this committee on our negotiating strategy, because I suspect our counterparties from across the Atlantic might be taking account of my comments,” she said.
Earlier this month, Downing Street dropped a pledge to maintain bans on chlorinated chicken and hormone-fed beef, as post-Brexit trade talks ramp up with Washington.
